15 Hacks That'll Child-Proof Your Home And Make It Safer Than A Womb
One of the biggest dangers to children is, unfortunately, their own home. Even with the best will in the world, kid-proofing your house can be a nightmare; just when you think you've got it covered, your little angel discovers another potential hazard. That's why we parents need to group together to keep household accidents to a minimum.
I'll never forget the horror on my mom's face when, at the age of three, I couldn't suppress my curiosity and pulled over a chair and put my hand straight on the glowing hob. The fact that I never ended up with permanent scarring is nothing short of a miracle, which is why, as a mom, I'd like to think I've got things covered in the home safety department.
Now, as much as I'd like to think of myself as a supermom (I mean, hubby got me a mug that says I am, so it must be true, right?), I didn't get to this point on my own. Oh-no. I had to scour the internet for the hacks I needed to kid-proof my house and to save you the trouble of doing it yourself, I've compiled a list of 15 of the best. Thank me later!
1. Store candy in old pill bottles.
Their child-proof caps will stop your little ones from having an impromptu feast (and ruining their teeth).
2. Keep your toilet bowl firmly shut with latches.
Kids and open water sources are never going to be a good combination.
3. Use yoga mat and pool noodles to keep your kid safe at night.
They might be too big for a cot, but they might also need some help making the transition to a "grownup" bed.
4. Stop your kids from falling over with fabric paint that will make their socks no-slip.
Because no parent wants to end up in the emergency room with their kid.
5. Keep your wardrobe shut with an elastic band.
Wardrobes, just like toilets, don't mix well with young children.
6. Don't have an elastic band? A scarf will do the same job.
Keep your precious work documents safe from your kids' sticky hands.
7. Protect your Christmas tree with this brilliant hack.
Kids and Christmas trees mix like Christmas trees and cats. They don't.
8. When you're kids are table height, sharp edges are a real danger.
Luckily, all you need to make them safe is a humble tennis ball.
9. There are some locks kids aren't meant to open.
So keep it that way and knit a door handle cover (or get grandma to do it for you)!
10. But for those doors that you want to keep open...
Well, there's pool noodles. See? They can do a lot more than keep your kids afloat.
11. Fans are one of the biggest household dangers to kids.
But you can easily change that with a well-placed hairnet.
12. Kid-proof the gaps in your stairs with books.
The great thing about these kid proofing hacks is that you virtually need to buy nothing to implement them!
13. Keep your smaller drawers shut with wooden spoons.
You didn't think I'd give you a hack for wardrobes and not these pesky drawers too? Told you I had your back.
14. Use a mattress if you've not got a baby gate.
It does exactly the same job and it won't cost you a penny.
15. Stop doors from locking with an elastic band.
Simple and effective.
So the next time you hear a fellow parent complaining that their little angel has gotten into trouble around the house - point them in the direction of this list. And if you want to thank me for bestowing you with this invaluable information, share any kid-proofing hacks that I might have missed (sadly, I am not perfect) in the comments section!